Self-propelled pusher car



May 7; 1940 AA. M. HoLcoMB 2,199,460

SELF-PROPEIJLED PUSHER CAR May 7, 1940. A. M. HoLcoMB SELF-PROPELLED PUSHER CAR Filed May,23, 19258 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR m50/1 #aka/fik May 7,v 1940.

A. M. HOLCOMB SELF-PROPELLE PUSHER CAR 5 vE.. t mb. m .v l 1 C ,Wr /0 N\ w N .ww m www o #M m, v, V "l/ N w n N m E w m v NN AN w TH, i y E W M III J m mw MK Y Patented May 7, 1940 UNITED STATES y 2,199,460 t .SELF-PROPELLED PUsHEa CAR Anson M. Holcomb, Bay City, Mich., assignor to Industrial Brownhoist Corp., Bay City, Mich., a corporation of` Michigan I Application May 23, 1938, Serial No. 209,577

7 Claims.

This present invention relates to pusher cars designed for use in connection with car handling equipment, such as car dumpers, etc. where loaded lcars must be brought up an inclined approach track to a car dumper and spotted on the cradle thereof preparatory to being taken upwardly in the dumper and then tilted to dump the car contents into a suitable receptacle.

O-ne of the prime objects of the invention is lo to design a self-propelled pusher car which can be positively coupledto the car to be moved, so that it can be easily and accurately spotted on the -dumper cradle. v

Another object is to design a pusher car which 'lo readily bridges and forms a portal over the track and standard railroad car, so that the pusher car: may readily move to operative position behind the loaded car to be moved without interference with the car or the contents thereof.

A further object is to design a pusher car provided with a vertically adjustable pusher arm which can be easily and quickly moved into operative and/ or inoperative position.

A still further object is tc provide a pusher car and track arrangement which permits the` pusher car to straddle and move over a standard railroad,

car, so that it may move into proper position to push a loaded car to a predetermined point or position.

present invention consists in the comlrlinat-iony and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying draw ings, and more particularly pointedout in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the for1nsize, proportion, and minor details of construction, without departing from the spirit, or sacricing any advantages of the invention.

In the drawings: Y

Fig. l is a side elevational view of my pusher car, the solid lines showing the pusher arm lowered and in operative position and coupled to a loaded car, the broken lines showing 'it raised to inoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view.

Fig. 3 is a rear end View. y

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary side elevational view illustrating the pusher arm adjusting mechanism. v

Fig. 5 is a side elevational `view showing the approach track, car dumper, etc.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view.

At the present time loaded cars are brought up an inclined track onto the cradle ci a car dumper by a haulage car, operating on a narrow gauge haulage track, which track terminates in a pit located a suitable distance in radvance of the dumper, and this haulage car is controlled by a haulage rcable operated vfrom a suitable power house. In practise the haulage car is run into the pit `when it is desired that a loaded car be moved forwardly to a point in advance thereof, so that when the haulage car isdravvn from thepit it will be in the rear of the loaded car, soY that it can push said car onto the cradle of the car dumper. i

The pit installation, power house, cable .ari that breakage is costly and also dangerous to workmen employed on and in connection with the haulage system, and I have therefore, perfected a pusher car and system which eliminates the pit, power house, cables,` conduits, etc., which is readily operable on a suitable track, which positively couples to the loaded car so that it can be accurately spotted, and which straddles and forms a portal over said loaded cars so that it readily passes thereover in either direction as desired. i

In the attached drawings.` in which I have shown one embodiment of my invention, there is provided an upwardly inclined approach track 8 leading to a car dumper 9, which includes a cradle l0 provided with tracks H as usual on which a loaded car A is spottedA preparatory to being raised upwardly in the duinper for discharging the car contents. Tracks I2 are pro vided on the opposite side of the dumper and form a continuation of the tracks Band lead to a kick-back (not shown) 'so thatI the empty cars roll by gravity, onto an adjacent track.

A single rail I3 is provided on each side of the approach tracks 8, and a ypusher car lli is adapted to travel thereon, said car including side frames I5 and I6 respectively which are mounted on the track engaging wheels Il, the upper ends of said frames being connected .by means of cross members I8 which form a portal over the track, and an operators house orv cabfis provided as shown, a ladder 20 leading upwardly tothe `door 2ll of the cab.

A pusher arm 22 is-adjustably connected to the front of the pusher car and includes a transversely disposed beam 23, the ends of which are mounted to slide vertically inthe endpmember 24 of the side frames in any approved manner,

lugs 25 being rigidly secured to and projecting from said beam, and a pin 26 serves to pivotally connect the inner end of the pusher arm thereto.

A truck 21 is connected to and serves to support the free end of the pusher arm and includes wheels 28 which engage and roll on the rails 8;

a standard coupling 29 being provided on thel end of the pusher arm for coupling to a loaded car A inthe usual manner. y

The pusher arm 22 is vertically adjustable so that it may be moved to operative and/ or inoperative position, and this is accomplished by means' of a hoist mechanism B which is provided in the operators cab, said mechanism comprising a gear reduction unit 3i) which is connected to any suitable source of power, (not shown) a worm 3l being mounted on a shaft 32 and engaging a worm wheel 33 which is mounted on al Drums 3E and 36 respectively j drum shaft 34. are mounted on a drum shaft 34, and these drums are of different diameters so that the pusher arm may be evenly raised, a cable 31 being anchored to the drum 35 and leads over a sheave 38 which is mounted on the bracket 39, a similar cable 40 being anchored to the opposite drum 36 and leads over a companion sheave 4I, thence being connected to the pusher arm at a point intermediate the length thereof. Now, when it is desired t0 raise this pusher arm, the mechanism is actuated to drive the drums 35 and 36, winding the cables 31 and 4B on said drums, and thus raising the arm so that it will clear a standard car and as indicated in broken lines in Fig. l of the drawings.

Racks 42 are provided directly adjacent the rails I3 and drive gears 43 are provided on the pusher car, said gears being connected to the power plant (not shown) in any approved manner so that a positive driveis assured.

The pusher car is of sufficient height and Width to `freely clear a standard railroad car loaded with coal or other material, and the pusher car operator is so stationed that he has a clear and unobstructed vision of the tracks and all switching operations.

Thepusher car is driven by the engagement of the drive gears with the racks 42, and in practise the pusher car is moved to position in the rear of a standard car, the mechanism B is operated to lower the pusher arm so that the truck 21 rides on the rails 8, and the coupling is then coupled to the loaded car. The pusher car is then operated to move the loaded car and spot it on a car dumper or any other desired location, the pusher arm is then uncoupled and the mechanism B actuated to raise the pusher arm so that it will clear a loaded car, and the pusher car can then travel over and to the rear of the next loaded car it is desired to move, the arm is then lowered and coupled to the car which can then be moved and spotted as desired.

It will, of course, be obvious that various designs of hoisting mechanisms may be provided other than that shown, and I do not desire to be conned to any particular form or construction, arrangement or details, 'except as I am expresshr limited by the terms of the appended claims.

What I claim is: v

1. In a device of the class described comprising a pusher car adapted to form a portal over and clear a standard railroad car, and a movable pusher arm on said pusher car and movable to operative position to engage a standard railroad car and to inoperative position to provide clearance so that the pusher car may straddle and pass the railroad car.

2. In a device of the class described comprising a self-propelled pusher car designed to straddle and clear a standard railroad car, a vertically adjustable pusher arm mounted on said car and movable from operative to inoperative position so that the pusher car may straddle and pass a standard railroad car, and means for adjusting said pusher arm.

3. A pusher car of the class described and adapted to form a portal over and clear a standard railroad car, a vertically adjustable pusher arm mounted on one end of said pusher car and adjustable from operative to inoperative position to provide clearance so that the pusher car may straddle and pass a standard railroad car, and a track engaging truck normally supporting the free end of said arm when the pusher arm is in operative position.

4. A pusher car of the class described and comprising spaced apart side members connected t0- gether at their upper ends to form a portal over a track and permit unobstructed passage of a standard railroad car, a vertically adjustable pusher arm pivotally connected to the front end of the pusher car and movable from operative to inoperative position to provide clearance so that the pusher car may straddle and pass a standard. railroad car, a rail engaging truck on the free end of said arm, and means for` moving said arm to operative and inoperative position.

5. A self-propelled pusher car for bringing loaded cars to a car dumper and comprising spaced apart, wheeled side members connected together at their upper ends to form a portal over a track and accommodate a standard railroad car, a vertically movable pusher arm mounted on theforward end of the pusher car and provided with a track engaging wheeled truck on the front end thereof, said pusher arm being movable to position to provide clearance so that the pusher car may straddle and pass the railroad car, a standard coupling on'the outer end of the pusher arm, and means for moving said arm to operative and inoperative position.

6. A means for bringing up cars to predetermined points including an approach track for the car to be moved, a self-propelled pusher car track straddling said approach track, and a pusher car mounted on said pusher car track and shaped to clear a standard railroad ear, said car being provided with a vertically movable pusher arm adjustably connected thereto and movable to inoperative position to clear a railroad car, and means for adjusting said pusher arm.

'7. A car handling means comprising an approach track for the car to be moved, a pusher car track on the sides of the approach track, a pusher car adapted to travel on said pusher car track, said car being shaped to straddle and clear a conventional, standard railroad car, a vertically movable pusher arm pivotally mounted on said pusher car and adapted in one position to be connected to the standard railroad car and in another raised position to provide clearance so that the pusher car may pass the standard railroad car, a Wheeled truck supporting the free end of the arm, a coupling on the arm for positive connection to the standard car, and power actuated means for moving said pusher arm.

ANSON M. HOLCOMB. 

